Distributor for ignition systems



April 20 1926. 1,581,190

J. H. GEORGE m DISTRIBUTOR FOR IGNITION SYSTEMS Filed April 23 920 17710621507": Johnflliearge,

Patented Apr. 20, 1926.

UNITED STATES JOHN H. GEORGE, or BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

DISTRIBUTOR FOR IGNITION SYSTEMS. 1

Application filed April 23, 1920. Serial- No. 376,081.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. GEORGE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Distributors for Ignition Systems, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to ignition systems for internal combustion engines and is more particularly concerned with an improvement relating to the distributor for the secondary current to thespark plugs of the engine.

My invention wili be best understood by reference to thefollowing description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of one specific embodiment thereof while its scope will be more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 isan end elevation showing the interior of a distributor exemplifying my invention; y

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line 22 of Fig.1; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 8-3'of F a Referring to the drawings and to the embodiment of my invention which I have selected for exemplification I have shown a distributor which although susceptible of general application is partcularly intended and adapted for use on the well-known Ford motor. In the latter the cam shaft, a portion of which is herein shown and designated 4-, is provided with a reduced portion 5 forminga shoulder 6. A pin 7 driven into and extending at one end beyond the reduced portion .5 resents a species of key. The-outerendo the reduced portion 5 is provided with a screw thread 8 on which is threaded a nut 9. The end of the shaft extends intoa distributorcasing 10 which in practice is held against the front end of the crank case (not shown) by a flat spring (not shown) which engages a depression 11 in the outer end of the casing 10 and urges the latter in an axial direction against the crank case. The construction as thus far described is usual and well-known in connection with the Ford motor. I will now describe the improvements to which my invention relates.

The casing 10 carries a plurality of studs place by a nut 16 threadedon to the binding post. Another nut17 is providedto clamp the cable terminal. y

The studs 12 are preferably radially disposed and their axes radiate from a center which lies within the axis of the shaft 4, as will be evident from an inspection of Fig. 1. -Each of the studs is ro vided with a body portion 18 on whic a roller 19 is mounted to turn. Preferablythese rollers are formed of'hardened steel, as are also the studs 18. A washer '20 also preferably formed of steel is interposed between the roller and the insulating bushing. I

A distributor arm 21 contacts successively with the peripheries of the rollers 19 and has suitable provision for'exerting a spring pressure against the latter in an axial direction. In the present example thisis accomplished by making the arm of thin, resilient sheet metal preferably copper having a sufficient degree of resiliency to enable it to retain its spring-like character and without danger of accidental deformation. a

In the present embodiment the arm is provided with an opening 22 to decrease its resistance to bending at that point, while the outer end of the arm is provided with laterally extending wings 23 preferably having their extremities bent away from the plane of contact with the peripheries of the rollers. j

The distributor arm is provided with a hub 24: suitably secured :to the shaft and having appropriate means to predetermine the relative angular position of the arm and shaft. In the present example I have pro: vided acollar'25 encircling the reduced portion 5 of the sh'aftand abutting at its inner end against the shoulder 6. The collar is provided with a reduced portion 26 forming a shoulder 27 and it is further provided with a key-way 28, the latter receiving the projecting end of the pin 7 which, therefore, predetermines the angular position of the collar with reference to the shaft. The hub 24 is provided with an inwardly propecting integral key 29 which is also received in the key-way 28 and hence predetermines the angular position of the distributorarm 21 with reference to the shaft 4.

The hub 24 of the distributor arm abuts against the shoulder 27 on the collar 25 and is suitably clamped thereagainst as by the provision of a second collar 30 which en-' circles the reduced portion 26 on the collar 25. The usual nut 9 threaded onto the end of the shaft is screwed firmly against the collar 30 and causes the latter to clamp the distributor arm against the shoulder 27. It will thus be seen that the distributor arm may be quickly and conveniently removed by simply unscrewing the nut 9 and remov ing the collar 30, after which the distributor arm may be withdrawn from its place. The character of the latter is such that it is very inexpensive and may be easily and cheaply renewed from time to time'should it become necessary, although I have found in practice that the arm will last through many thousands of miles of use without undue wear. In operation rotation of the cam shaft 4 causes the distributor arm successively to engage the peripheries of the rollers thereby turning each of the latter and preventing the excessive wear which would occur in the case of a mere rubbing contact. The rapidity of motion of the distributor arm is such that the rollers continue to spin after the arm leaves them and they are still in 1110- tion when reengaged by the arm. It should be understood, of course, that the cam shaft isvgrounded in the usual manner and hence the secondary current is conducted through the cam shaft, distributor arm, rollers, binding posts and cables to the usual spark plugs thus completing a circuit to each of the latter in the proper sequence in the cycle of the engine. I have found in practice that practically no oiling of the rollers is required and that clean contacting surfaces of the distributor arm and roller is maintained at all times thereby avoiding imperfect contact and misfiring which commonly takes place with distributors now in use.

Having thus described one embodiment of my invention but without limiting myself thereto, what I claim and desire by Letters Patent to secure is 1. In an ignition system for internal combustion engines, a casing presenting a closed end, and an open end for engagement with theengine, a series of spaced, current-conducting rollers mounted to turn about axes radiating from a common center, and an axially resilient current-conducting arm mounted to turn about an axis containing said center, said arm successively contacting with the peripheries of said rollers and adapted to urge the open end of said casing against the engine.

2. In an ignition system for internal combustion engines, a current distributor comprising, in combination, a casing, a series of conductors carried by said casing, a shaft extending into said casing and provided with a reduced portion presenting a shoulder, said reduced portion being provided with a screw-thread, a key projecting from said reduced portion intermediate said shoulder and the end of said shaft, a collar encircling said reduced portion and provided with a keyway in which said key is received a nut screwed onto said thread and holding said collar against said shoulder, and a current-conducting arm carried by said collar and contacting successively with said series of conductors.

3. In an ignition system for internal combustion engines, a current distributor comprising, in combination, a casing, a series of conductors carried by said casing, a shaft extending into said casing and provided with a reduced portion presenting a shoulder, said reduced portion being provided with a screw-thread, a key projecting outwardly from said reduced portion, a collar encircling said reduced portion and provided with a keyway in which said key is received, said collar being provided with a reduced portion presenting a shoulder, a second collar encircling the reduced portion of the first-mentioned collar and abutting against the shoulder thereof, a nut screwed onto said thread and abutting against the outer end of the second collar, and a current-conducting arm contacting successively with said series of conductors and provided with a key also received in said keyway, said arm being interposed between the shoulder of the first-mentioned collar and the inner end of the second-mentioned collar and being clamped therebetween by said nut.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN H. GEORGE. 

